African violet plant

ABSTRACT

An African violet named Massachusetts, particularly characterized by its profuse flowering, with up to 15 stems carrying up to 12 or more individual flowers; lilac flower color, with a deeper purple color near the center; long lasting, non-dropping flowers, and by its compact, vigorous growth habit.

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of Africanviolet plant, botanically known as Saintpaulia ionantha, and hereinafterreferred to by the cultivar name Massachusetts.

The new cultivar was referred to during the breeding and selectionprocess by the designation D210/20 and 480, and is a product of aplanned breeding program. The basic objective of the breeding programwas to create a new African violet cultivar having a rich flower bouquetor corolla, with lilac flower color.

The new cultivar was originated from a cross made in a controlledbreeding program in Isselburg, West Germany. The female, or seed parentwas Wisconsin, disclosed in my U.S. Plant Pat. No. 4,353. The male, orpollen parent, was a cultivar designated b. 229/11, an unpatented, pinkstar, semi-double variety.

The new cultivar Massachusetts was discovered and selected by me as aflowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlledenvironment in Isselburg, West Germany. Asexual reproduction of the newcultivar by vegetative cuttings, as performed by me at Isselburg, WestGermany, has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics asherein disclosed for the new cultivar are firmly fixed and are retainedthrough successive generations of asexual reproduction.

Massachusetts has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations inenvironment such as temperature, light intensity and day length. Thefollowing observations, measurements and values describe the newcultivar as grown in Isselburg, West Germany, under greenhouseconditions which closely approximate those generally used in commercialpractice.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe basic characteristics of Massachusetts, which in combinationdistinguish this African violet as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. Generally lilac flower color, with a more deep purple center.

2. Profuse flowering, with up to 15 flower stems carrying up to 12 andmore individual flowers.

3. Long lasting, non-dropping flowers.

4. Compact, vigorous growth habit.

5. In the second flowering, Massachusetts tends to produce moresemi-double blossoms.

The new cultivar is most similar to the maternal parent Wisconsin.Massachusetts is principally distinguished from Wisconsin by its lilacflower color, with deeper purple centers, and its more profuseflowering.

The accompanying photographic drawing shows a typical specimen plant ofthe new cultivar. The colors appearing in the photograph are as true aspossible with color illustrations of this type.

In the following description, color references are made to theHorticultural Colour Chart (HCC) issued by Wilson Colour Ltd., exceptwhere general colors of ordinary significance are referred to. Colorvalues were taken under natural light conditions approximately mid-dayin Isselburg, West Germany.

Botanical classification: Saintpaulia ionantha, Ramat. cv.Massachusetts.

Parentage:

Male parent.--b. 229/11, a pink star, semi-double variety.

Female parent.--Wisconsin (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 4,353).

Propagation: The new cultivar holds its distinguishing characteristicsthrough successive propagations by leaf cuttings.

Plant: From 8 cm. to 10 cm. tall when grown in pots, and approximately25-30 cm. in diameter when fully grown.

Leaves:

General form.--Round to oval.

Diameter.--Up to 55-65 mm.

Texture.--Soft and hairy.

Aspect.--Velvety, slightly shiny.

Veins.--Upperside slightly visible; underside well-pronounced and shiny;on younger leaves underside light brownish-purple, older leaves glassyand light green.

Color (upperside).--HCC Spinach Green 0960.

Color (underside).--HCC Willow Green 000862/2.

Petiole.--Old plants, light green-purple, hairy; younger plants,brown-purplish, very hairy.

Flowers:

Buds.--Ball shaped, 6-8 mm. just before opening; 8-12 per stem.

Sepals.--Color: greenish-brown, hairy. Calyx: flat, funnel-shaped.Aspect: spear-shaped. Peduncle: strong, upright.

Individual flowers:

Size.--Between 35-45 mm. in total diameter.

Color.--Upperside: Bishop's Violet 34/1; center Royal Purple 834.Underside: Bishop's Violet 34/2.

Borne.--Flowers are carried on strong upright peduncles. Some blossomsdisplay an additional small petal in the center of the flower.

Shape.--Conventional violet shape; 2 large, 3 small petals; on secondand subsequent flowering, more semi-doubling appears.

Corolla.--Profuse.

Flowering time.--6-7 weeks after potting first flowers appear; 8-10weeks to flowering, saleable plant.

Reproductive organs:

Anthers.--2, composed of 4 cells with seed capsule pushed slightlythrough; color sulphur yellow/1.

Filaments.--3-4 mm. long; base, purple changing into light green.

Styles.--7 mm. Violet Purple 733.

Pollen color.--HCC Dresden Yellow 64/2.

Roots: White when young and active; older roots velvety; normallydeveloped.

Disease resistance: Good as experienced to date.

General observations: Massachusetts is a profuse flowering variety whichhas long-lasting, non-dropping lilac flowers with dark purple centers.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of African violet known by thecultivar name Massachusetts, as described and illustrated, andparticularly characterized by its profuse flowering, with up to 15 stemscarrying up to 12 or more individual flowers; lilac flower color, with adeeper purple color near the center; long lasting, non-dropping flowers,and by its compact, vigorous growth habit.